Apparatus for the ignition of charging gases produced during the charging of coke ovens



Nov. 3, 1970 H WAGNER ETAL 3,537,957

APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF CHARGING GASES 1 PRODUCED DURING THE CHARGING OF COKE OVENS Filed Sept. 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 momwwmmzou 503mm wgwwwmm I "E 8 30.528 @385 1 on. 5529; '23

Nov. 3, 1970 H. WAGNER ETAL 3,537,957

APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF CHARGING GASES PRODUCED DURING THE CHARGING OF COKE OVENS Filed Sept. 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TORS vfz'iorneg QM: H-

Nov. 3, 1970 H. WAGNER ETAL 3,537,957

APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF CHARGING GASES PRODUCED DURING THE CHARGING OF COKE OVENS Filed Sept. 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS mus mam, FOLK/M41? SCI/Wdkl/ [FR/8E 5 B l7 RT W WERS vfttameg United States Patent O 3,537,957 APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF CHARGING GASES PRODUCED DURING THE CHARGING OF COKE OVENS Hans Wagner, Kettwig, and Folkmar Schwarz and Heribert Wewers, Essen, Germany, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 757,321 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 7, 1967, 1,671,326 Int. Cl. Cb 31/04 US. Cl. 202-263 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention comprises a constantly lit pilot light and a gas burner in each exhaust line so that tar mist in the gases produced during charging of coke ovens is burned. The pilot light and burner are supplied with coke oven gas for fuel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to coke ovens and more particularly to apparatus for the ignition of the charging gases produced during the charging of coke ovens. These charging gases are laden with dust and tar mist, which result in considerable air pollutions it suitable measures are not taken for their removal. The dust can be removed for the most part by exhausting and washing the charging gases, for which purpose the charging holes of the to-be-charged coke oven are connected via exhaust lines with one or more gas washers. On the contrary, as has been indicated, the tar mist cannot be washed out with water or at least not to a sufiicient extent.

A possibility for removal of the tar mist consists in burning it. Since the composition of the charging gases and thus its combustibility frequently varies substantially, foreign energy is required to assure a reliable combustion. The invention now proceeds from the concept of using coke-oven gas, which is directly available at the plant, as fuel for ignition of the charging gases and the tar mist contained therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a gas burner and a constantly burning pilot light in each exhaust line so that coke oven gas supplied to the pilot light and the burner may be ignited at the burner to consume tar products in the gases produced during charging of the coke chambers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of the ignition device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal section through the gas burner;

FIG. 3 illustrates a vertical section through the lower part of the charging pipe and telescopic pipe; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a horizontal section along line IV--IV of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The apparatus conforming to the invention has a primary advantage that it is not necessary to provide a fuel that is not available in the plant. In addition, ignition of the gas burner with coke-oven gas eliminates an electric ignition, which would be very susceptible to damage in the present application, as is known from experience, chiefly because of the existing danger of damage or destruction of the electric cable by the heat in the vicinity of the oven top, despite the best insulation.

The gas burner provided for ignition of the charging gases should be in operation only when a coke oven is being charged, thus when charging gases accumulate. To accomplish this, according to the invention, a cutoff valve is provided in the line leading to the gas burner. This valve receives its impulse for opening or closing from a switching device that is actuated at the beginning and completion of the charging process, respectively.

The gas burner is suitably arranged in the annular space formed by the charging pipe and telecopic pipe (drop sleeve) near the top of the oven and, according to another proposal of the invention, it burns inside a fire tube that sweeps essentially over the entire cross section of the annular space. This assures that all of the accumulating charging gas is burned by the flame of the gas burner and that no gas jets with unburned tar mist can escape.

According to a preferred modification of the invention, the necessary air for combustion of charging gases and tar mist, respectively, is sucked in though an adjustable annular slit between the top of the oven and the lower edge of the telescopic pipe.

To fill the pressure cylinder arranged on the larry car, the invention provides for an additional pressure cylinder, which is arranged stationarly and is supplied with coke-oven gas by a compressor. A disconnectable connecting line is correlated with both pressure cylinders. Care is taken by a suitable contact that the traveling gear of the larry car is interlocked as long as the pressure cylinders are connected with one another. Naturally, the stationary pressure cylinder and the compressor can be omitted when compressed coke-oven gas is available.

According to FIG. 1, coke-oven gas flows through the pipeline 1, provided with the main cutoff valve 2, to the compressor 3, which is driven by a three phase motor 4. The gas, compressed for example to 15 atm., flows into pressure cylinder 6 through check valve 5, which prevents a backflow of gas when the compressor stops. The pressure cylinder 6 is protected against inadmissible excess pressure by safety valve 7. Any escaping gas flows through line 8 to the excess gas burner and then into the atmosphere. The manometer 9 locally indicates the gas pressure of cylinder 6. The pressure controller 10 disconnects the compressor when the maximum pressure is reached, and again connects it when the set minimum pressure prevails. Manual valve 11 serves to discharge any condensates in the pressure cylinder. The gas that is heated during compression is cooled by means of air after the 1st and 2nd steps of the compressor, which is stationarily arranged, as is pressure cylinder 6.

The coke-oven gas goes from pressure cylinder 6 through a pipeline 12 provided with a manual valve 13 to a plug-type coupling lock. The connection is made Patented Nov. 3, 1970 here in a simple manner by plugging 14b into 140: and turning 90. A valve in 14a releases the gas passage by the turning. A contact 15 is provided to prevent traveling of the larry car if the coupling lock is closed. Contact 15 is situated on the larry car and is pressed by coupling half 14b in a special holder. The circuit to the starting relay is closed thereby and the larry car can again travel.

Coke-oven gas flows through flexible connection (high pressure hose) 16, manual valve 17, check valve 18, and pipeline 19 into the pressure cylinder 20 on the larry car. The check valve 18 prevents a backflow of gas when the coupling lock is open since manual valve 17 normally remains open. A manometer 21 locally indicates the pressure of the cylinder.

The pressure cylinder 20 is protected against intolerable excess pressure by safety valve 22. When the latter responds, the gases flow through the line 23 to the excess gas burner and into the atmosphere. A manual valve 24 is also provided on the pressure cylinder to discharge condensates. The gas flows through line 25 to pressure reducer 26, where the variable preliminary pressure of the gas, e.g., in a range between 2 and 15 atm., is adjusted to about 1 atm. The manometer 27 indicates this last cited pressure.

The solenoid valve 28 in the main gas line 29, controlled by the electric automatic of the larry car, supplies gas to the burners 32 during the charging process. If necessary, the gas burners can be disconnected by manual valves 31 in lines 30.

The gas required for the pilot-light burners 33 is withdrawn before the solenoid valve 28 of the main gas line 29. A pressure reducer 34 reduces the prevailing gas pressure from 1 atm. in the present case to 0.03 atm. for example. A gas valve 35 is also provided as a cutoff means and for the additional regulation of the pressure. The set minimum pressure of the gas can be read locally on the manometer 36. Line 37 conducts the gas through the distributing lines 38 to the pilot lights.

Since the gas for the pilot lights is branched 01f be fore the magnetic valve, the gas is on constantly here. The pilot lights are ignited once by hand and then remain on constantly. At the beginning of the charging process the pilot lights ignite the coke-oven gas burners, which are supplied with gas through the magnetic valve 28 during this time.

FIG. 2 illustrates the design of the gas burner. It shows how the coke-oven gas line 30 discharges at the gas burner, which is surrounded by a tubular inert 40 provided with air holes or slits 39. The gas burner receives additional air for combustion through an annular slit 41 between the Wall 42 of the burner and an annular plate 43 fastened on the insert 40. The pilot-light burner 33 is arranged at an angle to the axis of the gas burner and in back of the gas burner in the direction of flow of the gas. Coke-oven gas is supplied to the pilot light 33 by line 38. The pilot-light burner also receives air for combustion through holes or slits 44 in its outside wall 45.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the arrangement of the gas burner. It discharges shortly above the oven top 46 into annular space 47, which is formed by charging pipe 48 and telescopic pipe 49 surrounding the latter. The charging gases flow through the annular space 47. The flame produced by the burner enters into the fire tube 50 arranged in front of the burner. The fire tube 50 distributes the gas flame over the cross section of the charging-gas exhaust. This distribution takes place through lateral openings 51 of the fire tube. Annular slit 52 is provided between the oven top and the lower edge of the telescopic pipe to be able to suck in the necessary air for combustion of the charging gases and the tar mist contained therein. This annular slit 52 is adjustable by several spacing screws 53 on the periphery of the telescopic pipe.

The distributing lines 30 and 38 are provided with hose connections so that the gas supply lines can follow the motion of the telescopic pipe.

Operation of the ignition device conforming to the invention is as follows:

The compressor 3 maintains the stationary pressure cylinder 6 below a set gas pressure, for example, between 12 and 15 atm. via a pressure controller 10. When a pressure of 15 atm. is reached, the compressor is automatically disconnected and it is again connected when the gas pressure drops to 12 atm. A supply of compressed gas is assured at the coupling lock at any time.

When the larry car travels underneath the coal tower, an operator first connects the plug-type coupling and gas flows from pressure cylinder 6 into pressure cylinder 20. The larry car cannot move again until contact 15 has been pressed with coupling half 14b. Thereafter, the larry car travels to the coke oven to be charged. By pressing the key automatic on, the telescopic pipes are lowered by an electric motor and the revolving feed tables, controlled by a time relay, begin to operate to charge the coal. The solenoid valve for supply of gas to the burner in the telescopic pipe is simultaneously opened. The inflowing gas is ignited without delay by the constantly burning pilot light. The fire tube in the telescopic pipe distributes the gas flame over the cross section of the exhaust. Exhausting of the charging gases and suction of the air for combustion through annular slit 52 are preferably effected by self-priming gas washers, which are also arranged on the larry car and remove theentrained dust from the charging gases. These gas Washers are started before the beginning of the charging process.

After the coke oven is charged, the telescopic pipes are raised and the revolving feed tables and gas washers are disconnected. The solenoid valve simultaneously closes and shuts off the supply of gas to the gas burners, while gas is constantly supplied to the pilot-light burners through reducing valve 34. The larry car then travels back to the coal tower and the described process is repeated.

Although the invention has been described herein with a certain degre of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only as an example and that the scope of the invention is defined by what is hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

.1. In apparatus for the charging of coke ovens with coal including a larry car with means thereon holding said coal, the improvement comprising:

(a) a charging pipe mounted to said larry car for delivering said coal to a coke oven;

(b) a conduit surrounding and telescoping with said charging pipe and forming an annular space therebetween in which flow gases generated when coal is charged into said oven;

(c) a fire tube in said annular space;

(d) a burner located in said surrounding conduit;

(e) a constantly lighted pilot light correlated with said burner to ignite combustible fuelwhen supplied to said burner; and

(f) means for supplying combustible fuel to said burner.

'2. The invention of claim 1 including:

(a) valve means for starting and stopping the flow of combustible fuel to said burner; and

(b) means coordinated with the stopping and starting of the charging process to actuate and deactuate said valve means.

3. The invention of claim '1 wherein:

(a) said burner is arranged within said fire tube located in the annular space between said conduit and the coal charging conduit mounted to said larry car.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein:

(a) said fire tube sweeps over substantially all of the cross section of said annular space.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said means for supplying fuel is a first container holding said fuel under pressure andconduit means communicating with said burner and said first container.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein:

(a) said first container is located on said larry car;

and including (b) a second container for holding a supply of combustible fuel under pressure; and

(c) conduit means adapted to be connected and disconnected to and from said first container for conducting said fuel from said second container to said first container.

7. The invention of claim 6 including:

(a) compressor means for pressurizing the fuel in said second container.

8. The invention of claim 7 including:

(a) means to prevent movement of said larry car as long as said conduit means is in communication with said first and said second containers.

9. The invention of claim 2 wherein:

(a) said valve means is a solenoid valve; and

(b) said coordinated means is an electrical switch connected in circuitry with the solenoid valve and with operating mechanism on said larry car.

10. The invention of claim 3 including: (a) means to admit air to said annular space for the combustion of said fuel at said burner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILBUR L. BASCOMB, 111., Primary Examiner D. EDWARDS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

